mod secrets and first gen tips...

legendHI · 03-01-03, 04:50 PM

by C25A1guy. Now that he's got a new project, he's letting a go a bunch of mod secrets and first gen tips he's learned through his experience of owning a g1 sedan for a number of years.

thanks C25A1guy!! He asked me to post this stuff:

" . . .Sure. These will be off the top of my head. Oh, and post these for me, I've been extreamly busy lately.
1. Stock wheels make for great drag wheels. When you get new rims, save your stockies and put on a set of 195/50-55 R15 size tires.
2. Magnetic drain plugs are a god send for old engines.
3. USE 5W-30!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4. Tighten the kickdown cable (auto trans) to have the trans hold out gears and not cancel as much power.
5. Old trans should stay away from Mobil 1 ATF (I think it's one of the things that went into the demise of this trans)
6. Exhaust don't do sh*t. If you want more power, figure out some way to get more air and fuel into the cumbustion chamber, and modify exhaust size accordingly.
7. If you wanna do anything major, BATTERY RELOCATION IS A MUST!
8. It will probably be a lot easier and cheaper to put in a Vortec supercharger then a turbo. Find somebody to do it
9. for the manual trannies, CENTERFORCE CLUTCH!!!! Next step down (but not by far) would be Exedy.
10. See if you can get your hands on another core engine and work on that.
11. WEIGHT REDUCTION! Take everything off when you run it if possible. Hood, lights, bumper, A/c system, disconnect the p.s. belt, tail lamps (if they'll let ya), all of your interior (including dash).
12. It's easier to duct the cold air from behind the battery then from around the front and down. You keep some of your air velocity that way because it's a shorter path and you still get cold air.
12. Get Level 10 trans with a torque converter that will lock at 3000-3450 RPM and get a B&M ATF cooler while you're at it.
13. When the thermoswitch goes, UPGRADE to the mugen or spoon thermoswitch.
14. Our cooling systems use a 14 psi cap. see if you can find another raditor cap of same fitment, BUT at 14.5 or 15, even 16 psi if you can find it. Cooler the car runs = MORE POWER and LONGEVITY.
15. DON'T SKIMP OR GO CHEAP ON MAINTNANCE!
16. STOP WASTING YOUR CASH AT THE DEALER! GOTO A TRUSTWORTHY INDEPENDENT SHOP, BUT MAKE SURE THEY USE O.E. PARTS. Only thing about the dealer I would go for is once a year, go in to do a diagnostic service. Sh*t, our cars are 13-16 year old cars. Is it relly worth the $75/hr labor charge?

There will be more to come later.

P.S. Once a Legend, always a Legend. I will be back, bigger, and badder then ever. . . . "

C25A1guy · 03-01-03, 09:37 PM

Thanks bro.

Dan88Legend · 03-01-03, 11:18 PM

Atticus · 03-02-03, 01:05 AM

does anyone have a picture or a diagram showing where the kickdown cable is located?

i know im a noob

pyros88legendcoupe · 03-04-03, 10:23 PM

heres a couple extra off the top of my head.

-If your hood struts stop working. make a kink in them at full extension.

- are cars are designed for 87 octane. DO NOT use anything else you are throwing away money and power by going for higher octane. ( unless you have had your head shaved then go for 89)

-if your door handles don't work, take off your door and adjust the 10mm bolt in the door it slides left and right so you can adjust how much you pull the handle to release the lock.

- Cant get the door off. look for all the bolts then lift it straight up hard.

-Tranny computer is under the passenger seat in the coupes. It is visable from the rear. there is 1 red light with alot of codes. Look here if your S3 or S4 starts to blink.

-Use nothing but Honda Products. except oil. Honda ATF is a MUST, and Honda Anti-freeze dosnt contain a certain silicate (sp?) that prestone and all the others do. even if they say ok for alluminime engines. It will prevent corrosion and keep your seals alive.( Use Honda anti-freeze in every alluminim engine you own)

- Legend Fuel pumps are located under a panel in the trunk or under the seat in the sedan( i think ?). you can change it yourself with 3 tools( ratchet 10mm/17mm, plyers) and 45 mins.

- Replace your waterpump and timeing belt every 90k miles.

-almost all of the gaskets in legend engines ( all hondas) are rubber and ussually o-rings. and can be reused many times if nesessary. always clean both sealing metal surfaces and soak the gasket in oil. I reccomend you replace important small orings. The Valve cover gaskets on the other hand you reuse many times.)

-if you have a antenna lube it all the time. ( once a week)

- your low fuel light work. no? mine neither, actually ive never seen a working one

if you want you can open up your dash quite easy my removeing all the screws and you can replace the LED ( cheap and easy and there might me a spare in there i forgot )

- wheel hub nuts are 36mm ( please correct me if this is wrong im 99% sure, got this feeling its 34?)

-your ALB and battery light both on. your alternator could be going. i have heard that this combo means dieing alternator. not 100% sure on this one.

-ALB light come on check the brake fluid ( both of them) same for brake light.

-Never ever EVER use armorall on our precious leather.

- if your car's air smells like sh*t, clean your fan unit its most likely covered with mildew or something like that. spray some bacteria killer in there.

-if your Heater Fan,Recurculation Fan, or your "In car Temp Sensor" ( the one inside the center console) make any noise take them apart and clean them.

- For auto's, both the Shift Solenoid set and the Lock-up Solenoid set should read 16-20 ohms from the each lead to ground. ( there are 2 leads per plug and 2 plugs). replace if they are off.

Make sure your brake shims are on right because legend brakes like to scream if you dont set them up right or if you use cheap ****ty pads.

If your car wont start , here is a troubleshooting thread of mine

Fuel Pump Replacement : DIY

i hope this helps someone, and please let me know if anything here is wrong.

Rockford Legend · 03-06-03, 09:35 PM

"pyros88legendcoupe".......You are correct, the ALB light and battery light being on indicates alternator failing, i was on my way home from a Maryland Terps Football game when my car died on I-495 west, actually I stoped cause it was nightime and i had no lights, had to leave on the side of the road with windows down. Luckily upon return the next morning nothing was stolen..I believe my system that was installed contributed to the resulting failure.

Dan88Legend · 03-06-03, 10:15 PM

good info everyone. keep postin

pyros88legendcoupe · 03-06-03, 10:16 PM

yeah, systems can really kill the battery. Ive read of huge water cooled alternators. thats what you need.

if you can find one that you could make fit. thanks for clearing that one up rockford

90Legendman(LS) · 03-12-03, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by pyros88legendcoupe
heres a couple extra off the top of my head.

-If your hood struts stop working. make a kink in them at full extension.

- are cars are designed for 87 octane. DO NOT use anything else you are throwing away money and power by going for higher octane. ( unless you have had your head shaved then go for 89)

-if your door handles don't work, take off your door and adjust the 10mm bolt in the door it slides left and right so you can adjust how much you pull the handle to release the lock.

- Cant get the door off. look for all the bolts then lift it straight up hard.

-Tranny computer is under the passenger seat in the coupes. It is visable from the rear. there is 1 red light with alot of codes. Look here if your S3 or S4 starts to blink.

-Use nothing but Honda Products. except oil. Honda ATF is a MUST, and Honda Anti-freeze dosnt contain a certain silicate (sp?) that prestone and all the others do. even if they say ok for alluminime engines. It will prevent corrosion and keep your seals alive.( Use Honda anti-freeze in every alluminim engine you own)

- Legend Fuel pumps are located under a panel in the trunk or under the seat in the sedan( i think ?). you can change it yourself with 3 tools( ratchet 10mm/17mm, plyers) and 45 mins.

- Replace your waterpump and timeing belt every 90k miles.

-almost all of the gaskets in legend engines ( all hondas) are rubber and ussually o-rings. and can be reused many times if nesessary. always clean both sealing metal surfaces and soak the gasket in oil. I reccomend you replace important small orings. The Valve cover gaskets on the other hand you reuse many times.)

-if you have a antenna lube it all the time. ( once a week)

- your low fuel light work. no? mine neither, actually ive never seen a working one if you want you can open up your dash quite easy my removeing all the screws and you can replace the LED ( cheap and easy and there might me a spare in there i forgot )

- wheel hub nuts are 36mm ( please correct me if this is wrong im 99% sure, got this feeling its 34?)

-your ALB and battery light both on. your alternator could be going. i have heard that this combo means dieing alternator. not 100% sure on this one.

-ALB light come on check the brake fluid ( both of them) same for brake light.

-Never ever EVER use armorall on our precious leather.

- if your car's air smells like sh*t, clean your fan unit its most likely covered with mildew or something like that. spray some bacteria killer in there.

-if your Heater Fan,Recurculation Fan, or your "In car Temp Sensor" ( the one inside the center console) make any noise take them apart and clean them.

- For auto's, both the Shift Solenoid set and the Lock-up Solenoid set should read 16-20 ohms from the each lead to ground. ( there are 2 leads per plug and 2 plugs). replace if they are off.

Make sure your brake shims are on right because legend brakes like to scream if you dont set them up right or if you use cheap ****ty pads.

If your car wont start , here is a troubleshooting thread of mine

Fuel Pump Replacement : DIY

i hope this helps someone, and please let me know if anything here is wrong.

So the fuel pump is not located in the gas tank ??

pyros88legendcoupe · 03-13-03, 03:21 AM

yeah it is, but you can take a cover off ( 4 10mm bolts) and you can see the fuel pump in the top of the tank, then you take off the 5 bolts and pull the thing out. its a big unit.

90Legendman(LS) · 03-13-03, 11:31 AM

One more question for ya. Why does the water pump need changing every 90K ??

katonk · 03-13-03, 01:11 PM

For additional performance tips, be sure to check out Alexei Voloshin's Honda/Acura Legend Center.

pyros88legendcoupe · 03-14-03, 03:35 PM

because the seals start to leak over time, and if you don't use honda coolant. your seals will get eaten and corrode from some silicate that honda stuff dosnt have. something like that. and if you blow a water pump ( i have) you will blow a head gasket and if you do that you should pretty much put in a new JDM engine because its alot of money to fix it like over a Grand.

90Legendman(LS) · 03-14-03, 04:19 PM

OK gotcha, Thanks for the info !!!

94LegendLS · 03-19-03, 07:50 PM

anybody seen a handy list like this for second gen's?